Posted this over on NE.com, hopefully of interest here too now that the forum title includes double rifles!
Some of you may be aware that I recently acquired a neat little double express, made by W. & C. Scott & Son for the well-known 'British' firm of R.B.Rodda & Co of Calcutta. It is a well-engraved crystal-indicator sidelock with 28-inch barrels weighing about 9 1/2 lbs, and chambered for the .577/.500 No.2 cartridge. The flats are marked 'CO EX', indicating that it was regulated for the cordite express 'nitro-for-black' load.
My first range session with Woodleigh 440-grainers loaded over increasing charges of AR2208 (Varget) and a couple of saddle-felt wads ended with rights-and-lefts an inch apart at 50 metres with 73 and 75 grain charges. Velocity topped out around 1675 fps. Happy with that!
I then had to make a neck-sizing die to reload my dozen cases, by softening an old RCBS .308 die and boring it out on the lathe to 0.527-inch. This die produces enough neck tension to hold the bullet, but not so much as to make seating without a proper seating-die difficult. Consequently, the velocities for the 74gr AR2208 (Varget) loads I settled on had dropped back to around 1600 fps. I probably need to make a crimp-die next!
The groups were nonetheless astounding! First two shots overlapped at 50 metres. Slight sight adjustment, and second 2 shots were still touching! Even though a lot of restoration will be required to bring this old girl up to showroom condition, she still
shoots!
There was a slight crossing evident this second time, however I'm certain it will disappear with crimping. If not, I'll just have to make another neck-sizing die with slightly greater neck tension. Plenty of 'occupational therapy' ahead!
Having owned the Rodda for a couple of months, I decided it was high time I took it hunting! First on the agenda was an "armed reconnaissance" of one of my favourite hunting properties a few weekends ago, to check out how it had weathered a recent cyclone. Sure enough, all the creeks were still flowing strongly, flood debris festooned all the trees out across the creek flats, and the game was well scattered.
Nevertheless, I decided to take the vintage double for another walk back there two weekends later, this time with better results. I took along one of my daughter's friends, Ralph, who had shot buff before but was keen to bring a really good trophy bull to bag. My wife Rebecca also came along for the exercise, and to help pack out any meat we might acquire.
After walking a drainage-line upwind for several hours, we finally bumped into a mob feeding in the creek bed in the late afternoon. Rebecca and I ducked out to the left and knelt down in a dry overflow to cover their exit from the creekline, and to pick out a fat cow or good bull, whichever presented the best shot as they filed past. I was still being cautious with this calibre (the cartridge is no giant-killer!) but hoped the 440gr Woodleighs would do the job.
I didn't count on the herd turning down the overflow and feeding straight towards us, as we crouched in the open behind 6-inch tufts of grass! Two cows with calves were in the lead, luckily one had an obvious weaner and had fattened up again, because it was her that offered the first opportunity, turning almost side-on at about 8 metres! With no time to lose, I gave her both barrels quickly behind the elbow, then reloaded and put a third into the off-side ribcage, quartering forward, as she about-faced. That did the trick!
I wasn't aware that Ralph had fired, but apparently at my first shot, the bull stuck his head up out of the long grass to reveal an impressive rack, so he immediately caught a 410gr Woodleigh .416 on the point of the shoulder! He turned out to be a very respectable trophy at 101pts SCI, and Ralph's largest by a fair margin! What a marvellous result!
I only recovered one projectile from the cow, the one which quartered forward and stopped at the front of the off-side shoulder. It hadn't expanded much, but then penetration is the more important criteria on large game and this one had made almost a metre. One of the other bullets had traversed the chest cavity, centering a far rib but bouncing back inside despite breaking the bone. Couldn't find it though! ...and only God knows where the other one ended up!
Based on these initial experiences, I would be quite confident taking the Rodda against the biggest buffalo bull, providing he was undisturbed and allowed me a good view of his ribs. Perhaps fortune will favour just such an outcome in the next few months!
